Firefighters contain blaze which destroyed 14,000 hectares, threatened township of Lucindale
A large fire which destroyed about 14,000ha of grazing land before threatening to engulf the South East township of Lucindale has been deemed unsuspicious by police.
SA News
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The South East fire which destroyed about 14,000ha before threatening to engulf the small township of Lucindale has been contained.
The Country Fire Service said 200 firefighters supported by aerial bombers bought the fire under control on Tuesday afternoon.
A community meeting was held at 6pm Tuesday by the CFS at the Lucindale Community Hall, where around 100 people sought refuge on Monday.
Roads which were closed to the blaze have been reopened, and phone services restored.
More than 2000 people in the area remain without power while two homes were confirmed destroyed in the blaze.
Large numbers of sheep and cattle have been killed or injured while hundreds of kilometres of fencing has been destroyed.
SA Police investigated the fire’s cause on Tuesday, deemed it unsuspicious and undetermined. The blaze started at the Mount Scott Conservation Park east of Kingston SE before being pushed by strong north-westerly winds towards Lucindale and Naracoorte.
#Bushfire Advice Message : Issued for #BLACKFORD,_MAIL_BRIDGE_ROAD #fire. If you are in this area stay alert, monitor local conditions and decide what you will do if the situation changes. #BAM ID=0005275 #SAFires https://t.co/zIvtuMtee7 pic.twitter.com/X77wDD5dGP
— Country Fire Service (@CFSAlerts) January 11, 2021
The CFS said the fire had impacted on the communities of Avenue Range, Blackford and Lucindale with “at least three structures confirmed lost or substantially damaged”.
“Rapid damage assessment teams will be in these areas checking structures,” it said.
Forty CFS and Department of Environment and Water (DEW) trucks and 200 firefighters have spent the day on Monday on the fireground, along with four appliances and a command vehicle from the Victorian Country Fire Authority.
Electranet and SA Power Networks staff were inspecting damaged electrical infrastructure.
Department of Primary Industry SA (PIRSA) teams have been assessing stock losses and helping farmers destroy injured stock. Anyone requiring assistance is asked to call 1800 255 556.
Staff from the South East Drainage Board still are inspecting the network of drains in the area which traverse the fireground for damage to bridges and other crossings.
Liberal MP for Mackillop Nick McBride said hundreds of sheep and cattle perished in the fast-moving blaze.
“These are huge losses for people who have lost stock in this area, because they’re mainly grazing businesses down this way,” Mr McBride said on ABC Radio Adelaide on Tuesday morning.
Mr McBride said the fire reached the fringes of Lucindale before it was stopped by firefighters.
“My understanding is we lost one house, a family home at Avenue (Range), I’ve heard reports we might have lost one (house) on the fringe of Lucindale, on the outskirts of the town but I can’t confirm that.
“We also lost the old Avenue school … a church or school at Avenue was burned out.”
At the height of the fire, almost 200 CFS volunteers and farmers with private firefighting units were battling the blaze in temperatures of almost 40C and winds of up to 70km/h.
Their efforts were supported by six waterbombers which made more than 100 drops as pilots battled to stop the fire from engulfing Lucindale.
The blaze came as the first fire bans of the year were issued ahead of severe and extreme fire danger conditions.
The Blackford blaze came after a teenager was arrested for alleged arson at Flinders University on Monday morning.
The teenager was charged with causing a bushfire. He was refused police bail to appear in the Christies Beach Youth Court on Tuesday.
Anyone with information on the South East fire or Flinders incident should call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
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